Improvement in harvesters



UNITED STATES PATENT yOEEIoEc WILLIAM N. WHITELY, JR., or SPRINGFIELD, orIIo.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVAESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters vPatent No. 63,192, dated March 26, 1867.

To all/whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM N. WHITELY,

' J r., vof Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and use- Y ful Improvement in Harvesters; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Y Figure l .is a perspective view of my machine. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the inner side of the frame of the machine, showing .the mechanism of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the macl1ine',the reel, reel-post, and drivers lseat being removed. Fig. A'is an elevation of 'the open bracket supporting the reel. Fig. 5

is an elevation of the foot of the rake-guide,

i the inner shoe, and one of the guard-lingers,

showing'the position ofthe cutter-bar above the linger-bar. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the outer side of the machine. Fig. 7 is an elevation showing the mechanism for driving the rake lupon this pinion-shaft and hasa free vertical movement upon it as a center of motion, the rear end of the sector-plate bein g'confined and guided by the grooved'curved standard D, which is secured at its base to the main frame, near its rear end, as shown in Fig. 6. The standard D is curved so as to conform to the arc of a circle whose center is'l the center of the pinion-shaft'B, so that the'sector-plate C, as it rises and falls, shall at all times be confined at its rear' end by the groove in the standard.

From the front end of the machine rises a a plain curved standard, E, which, curving backward, passes the head of the standard D, and is secured to it by a screw or otherwise, so that the upper end or head of the standard D is supported thereby.

The standard E extends backward beyond lidi Upon the outer side of the main frame is' the arch I, secured by suitable feet to the main frame, as shown in Fig. 3. To the highest point of this arch is secured a suitable bearing for the axle of the rakes driving-wheel J.

The axle of J is about vertical to the axle B, and its outer face, near the periphery of the pitman-head of the rakes pitman K, isv secured by a ball-and-socket joint.

The pinion-shaft B has'upon each end a pinion, the main driving-wheels pinion L upon its outer end, and the rakes driving-pinion M on its inner end, and a bevel-gear wheel, N, near its center, which gear drives the cutters crank-shaft, and it also has between the bevel-gear N and the pinion M the reels'driving-pulley O, the entire movements of the mechanism of the machine being effected through this shaft. A i

The main bearing and driving wheel P of the machine has its axle secured to the sectorplate C near its rear end, and therefore when the said sector-plate moves up and down upon its center of motion the height of the axle of the -wheel P in respect to` the` frameV A is changed, and the height of the frame A from the 'ground may be thus regulated at will. The bearing-wheel P is also an internal gearwheel, and meshes with the pinion L, which, being moved upon the same axis with the sector-plate G, and therefore upon the center of mot-ion upon which the bearing-wheel itself moves up and down, it follows that the axisl of the pinion L is at all times 'at the same distance from the axis of its driving-wheel, and

they must therefore always be in mesh.

The pinion L is loose upon its shaft, and is vprovided with an ordinary clutch-collar'and shipper, Q, so that by slipping the pinion endwise upon its shaft a sufficient distance it may be brought up to the clutch-pin, or released from it, according as it is desired to have the mechanism In mot-ion or otherwise.

The shipper Q is pivoted to a stud, R, projecting from the side of the sector-plate C, and has a stop-stud, S, also projectingy from the side of the sector-plate, by which the shipper may beheld in the desired .position to `keep the'mechanism in or out of gear. Alever, T,

is also attached to the sector-plate G, and by it,

the machine may be raised or loweredY in respect to the axle of the bearin g-wheel, as, when the pin or other fastening holding the sectorplate C and standard D in position with respect to each other is removed and the hand placed upon the lever T, v`itbecomes alever of the first order, with a fulcrum at the axle of the wheel P, .so that if pressure be applied .to the lever T the axle B at its other end will be caused to rise, and the main frameA will likewise rise with it.

The wheel J is an internal gear-'wheel and always in mesh with the pinion M, which, like thepinion'L, is loose upon the shaft, and is thrown up to or away from the clutch-pin m by the shipper U, secured to the stud V, projecting from the arch I. The pin m slips into a vertical groove or slot cut across the face of the pinion M when said pinion is brought up to it by the shipper for the purpose of being i thrown into gear. f

The shipperU does not communicate direct- 1y with the pinion M, because'the axle of the wheel J being vertical to the axis of thepin- `ion M the shipper U would be 4thrown too far forward to be convenient if it were arranged to act directly upon the pinion M, and, also, it is necessary to avoid the axle of J I therefore step the lower end of 4U in a hole or cavity in the upper side of the shortpivoted lever W,

which, being pivoted at its front end to the main frame, and being forked at its rear end to fit the clutch-collar of the pinion M, causes the said pinion to slide back or forth when pressed by the lever U.

The bevel-gearN meshes with the bevel-gear X upon the forward end of the cutters crankshaft Y, which lies along the upper surface of l the outer side bar of the main frame, and is secured in suitable boxes fastened by bolts thereto. At the rear end of the shaftY is the cutters pitman-crank.

The rear end of the main frame is prolonged downward vand backward in a comparatively thin flange, Z, which serves as a shield to protect the crank of the shaft Y, Aand also at its inner rear corner as an attachment for the inner shoe, A', of the cutting apparatus.`

.The finger bar B' is` of ordinary construction and'attachment, and at its outer end is a 'shoe that does not differ materially from those hitherto presented in patent applications, except in the manner of attaching the divideboard and grain-wheel.

upon strips d projecting forward l'rom'the guide-blocks D', as shown inFig. 5, so that there is no danger. of cloggingunder the cutter-bar, and the friction is also materially reduced by being confined to a few isolated points. The outer shoe, E', is provided with a broad verticalange, F', and the dividethe rear end of the shoe E' is attached, by a vertical hinge, H', the caster grain-wheel I. I prefer to arrange the grain-wheel in this way,

because in backing'the machine, asitis sometimes'necessary Vto do, the grain-wheel` will then follow in the manner of any ordinary caster-whecl, and for that reason its operation will be more satisfactory.

In order that I may be enabledto adjust the outer end ofthe cutting apparatus to any required height of cut, I must provide a means of raising or lowering the grain-wheel I' in respect to the platform of the machine; and to do this I have employed between t'he'hinge H' and the wheel I' a jointed arm, J', provided with a radially-serrated disk, K' L', on each part, and these disks I clamp together by a bolt through their center, the radial serrations meshing into each other when drawn closely by the bolt, so that it is impossible for .either to turn upon its axis without affecting the other; and as the disk L' is a part of that portion of the4 arm J which is hinged to the shoe at H', and therefore can have no movement except in a horizontal direction upon the pivot of H', it follows that the disk K' can have no other movement except a horizontal one; but when the clamping-bolt through the centers of the disks K' and L' is loosened, then thedisk K', with the wheel I' attached, may be turned ou its axis, and the wheel I moved to a position more or less vertical to the `joint K' L',

and therefore the cutting apparatus will at its outer end be raised more or less from the ground. i

An inward projection, M', upon theinner side of the outer shoe embraces or covers the outer end of. the cutter-bar when Ain its inner reciprocation, so that none of the standing crop can get behindor opposite the end of the cutter-bar to obstruct its returnoutward.

Upon the inner shoe, A', is mounted the forward end of the rake-guide and arch N'. This mounting is upon two stout feet, O', one of them resting upon the shoe forward of the cutlters, and the other resting upon the same just back of 'the cutters. 1 A screw through each foot into the shoe secures this end ofthe rakeguide very securely.

Bolted to the inner shoe, A', and projectingV inwardtherefrom in a line with the finger-bar B', is the dat bar or plate P'. The rakeQ is pivoted to the extreme end of this plate, as shown in Fig. 3, by a ball-and-socket joint, whicl'permits said rake to move horizontally back and forth, but permits it alsofto have a vertical movement upon the same center, as is necessaryin raising the rake up to ,return to the front of the platform over the heads of the falling grain. This joint is plainly shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The 4extremeend of the plate I" also serves as an attachment for the brace R', which connects it to the rear end of the rake-guide N' for the purpose of supporting and steadying the same. i

came A 3* entire support from the feet O'O' and theV brace R. The guide'N' is vbent horizontally in the arc of a circle, whose center is-tlie cen-v ter of the joint upon which the rake Q moves in its reciprocations. I Its horizontal surface is parallel with'the surface'of the* platform, or so4 that as the rake sweeps backward over the platform the weight thereof' shall rest upon the guide-railN' andnot upon the points of the rake-teeth.

In order that the rake may be raised up from the platform whenit is being returned to the cutters, I provide the arch S', whichis secured at each of its ends to the'corresponding ends ofthe guide N'. The arch S' -is considerably broader-through its central portion than at its ends, and is constructed with the offsets T' 'I" at each end of said broad portion.

As will be seen by reference-'to Fig. 2, the front portion of the arch rises-:abruptly to a much greater height fromthe rail N' than does the corresponding rear portion. The

front oifsetT' is 'therefore much higher from the rail than the rear offset, so that when the rake is being drawn forward,'held up, and supported by the arch S', it may be allowed to drop vertically upon the platform when it has reached the farthest forward point of its reciprocation. In order to ysecure this compound movement of the rake I attach to its upper side, outside of the arch S', the latch U', which is so adjusted that when the rakeis pushed backward the end of the latch-bolty is pressed down by the under surface of the arch S' until the rear offset 'I" is reached, beyond which the narrow portion ofthe arch is so far removed from the center upon which the rake oves that it is beyond the reach of the latcholt.

The distance vertically between the rear offset 'I" and the rail N' is considerably less than the vertical distance between the latchbolt U' and the lower surface of the rake-head,

- and it therefore follows that after the rake has passed the rear offset T' and is being returned again for another stroke the latch-bolt U will come in contact with the upper surface of the arch at the rear offset T', and will therefore in its further forward movement of the rake ride upon and be raised up from the platform by said arch until the front offset is reached, when the latch will pass oitfrom the arch and the rakewill drop upon the platform.

In order to give additional steadiness to the stroke of the rake and to permit or enable the pitman Kto withdraw the rake from the farthest point of its reciprocation with more ease than hitherto, I attach rigidly to the rakehead, just beneath the latch U', a flange or plate, V', and to the outer edge of this flange or plate I pivot the pitman K. The advantage of this arrangementrests in the fact that it places the center of the joint between the rake and its dri vin g-pitm an at a distance from the rake, thus adding a certain amount of vle- Verage in favor of additional steadiness and removing the line of draft ofthe pitman at a distance from the center upon which the rake moves, and therefore enabling the pitman to withdraw the rake with less power than would.

' berequired if the line of draft were more nearly coincident with the centers of motion.

The forward end of the pitman K is provided with a screw-thread, and screws into the pitman-head, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, so that the stroke of the rake may be thereby accurately adjusted by lengtheningor shortening the pitman by screwing it a greater or less distance into the pitmanhead. A set-nut to jam against the end of the pitman-head secures it against any undesired change.

The reel preferred with my machine is of the class known as overhung. Itsform and construction are shown in Figs. l, 2, and 4. rIhe reel-post F has litted-to itso as to slide freely up and down thereon a sleeve, W', which may beset and maintained at any particular point by the set-screw X'. The open bracket Y' is secured to the two extremities of the sleeve W", and serves' as a support to the reel-shaft by enabling me to place one of the bearings for said shaft so far from -the other that the driving-pulley Z' may be between the two bearings, as is shown in Fig.'4. On the outer end of the shaft I place abranched head, A",.having three or more arms, to which as many wing-staves for the wings of the reel are secured. The wings of the reel are long enough to sweep over the outer divide-board, as shown in red in Fig. 3, lso that none of the standing crop may slip past the end of the reel and therefore fail to be cut.

The reel is driven by a belt from the pulley 'O on the main pinion-shaft, and in order that the slack consequent upon lowering the rake upon the reel-post may be taken up, the tightening-pulleyB" is adjusted to give therequired tension to the reel-belt. The pulley B" is pivoted to an adjustable arm, C", which may be set and secured -at any angle to give the required pressure upon the belt.

The tongueD" is attached to the main frame A by means of the plate E", which is cast in such form as to embrace the forward end of the main trame between lugs F" F", which project backward from the base of the said plate. A bolt, Gr", passes through the lugs F" F" and through proper holes in the. main frame, so that the tongue-plate E" is hinged thereby to the said main frame.

At the forward end of the tongue-plate E is the disk H", which has two studs projecting upward from opposite sides upon its upper surface. The disk I" is fitted to the top of the disk H", and has its edge notched, so that when in place the notches pass over; the studs of the disk H".

The double-tree J" is secured to the disk I" by flanges and by the central pivot-bolt K", and the motion of said double-tree upon its pivot-bolt is limited by the studs and notches of the two disks.

In order to enable the attendant to control the 'height of the forward end of the machine, it is necessary to provide some means by which 11e can raise and lower the tongue at pleasure and to hold it at any desired point. I therefore provide the-lever L, which I pivot at its lower end to thecurved standard E, and connect it to the double-tree pivotbolt by the bar M, Vand thus raise or lower the tongue in respect to the frame, according as the upper end of the lever is drawn back or thrust forward.

To hold the lever at any desired point the rack N is provided, between the teeth of which the lever is thrown by the spring O, and there held either forward or backward, as desired.

The operation of my machine will have been apparent from the foregoing description, but

the following recapitnlation of its functions may not be out of place: Either end of the machine may be raised or lowered, as desired, independent of the opposite end. By means of the clutch-lever U the rake .may be thrown out of gear at-any point of itsstroke, and the attendant may therefore control the size of thegavel thrown 0E by the rake. By using an internal gear vat J the rakes driving-wheel will move in the same direction as the masterwheel, and the pitman-head will rise at the same moment with the rake, so that the rakepitman will work more nearly level, and consequently with less friction 4and labor, than would be the case did this driving-wheel re: volvein the opposite direction. By means ofthe compound levers L" and M" the height of the, forward end of the machine is controlled with great easeand nicety. By removing the platform, outerydivide-board, reel, and rake the machin-e is'converted into a mower, and may be so adjusted as to cut as close to the ground as desired. l

The caster-wheel may be used when mowing, or not, as desired.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to .secure by Letters Patent, is l l WM. N. WHITELY, JR. Witnesses:

REUBEN MILLER, GEo.W. BENNs.

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